The Orthodox Study Bible: Trespasses & Sins

The Orthodox Study Bible, New Testament and Psalms, (1993) Saint Athanasius Orthodox Academy,Thomas Nelson Publishers, Nashville, Tennessee. 

Ephesians 2:1-3

New King James Version (NKJV)

2: 1 And you He made alive, who were dead in trespasses and sins, 2 in which you once walked according to the [a]course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit who now works in the sons of disobedience, 3 among whom also we all once conducted ourselves in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, just as the others.

2: 1 And you He made alive, who were dead in trespasses and sins...

The Orthodox Bible states that 'Their deeds are trespasses and sins'. (440). This leads to divine wrath and eternal death. (440).

(This is a translation issue, but as philosophical terms, I prefer the terms everlasting death; the everlasting having a beginning and no ending, while the eternal has no beginning and no ending. The finite can therefore only have everlasting death, of sorts, in reality.)

This is meant for those people living outside of the atoning and resurrection work of Jesus Christ, applied to believers.

Foulkes explains in regard to trespasses and sins (76)...

'There is probably no essential difference between the two nouns...' (76).

'The root meaning of the first is 'missing the mark ' and of the second 'slipping' or 'falling from the way', and thus both express the failure of people to live as they could and should.' (76-77).

Note that the second term 'sins' or 'sin' has in many evangelical sermons also been labelled as 'missing the mark'.

Foulkes agrees with the Orthodoxy text that the death discussed is more so, spiritual death than physical death. (77). These people are outside of Christ and are therefore presently spiritually dead metaphorically, but it is  biblically and theologically more than just a metaphorical meaning, as post-mortem, everlasting death awaits those that remain in sin and outside of the gospel work of Jesus Christ.

Bible Study Tools

παραπτώμασιν: Is trespasses from Ephesians 2: 1.
ἁμαρτίαις : Is sins from Ephesians 2: 1.

Abarim

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Also, ἁμαρτίαις is a noun that is dative, feminine, plural.

The other day I heard an online sermon where the pastor reasoned that trespasses were not sins, but just (paraphrased) mistakes or error.

However, it indeed appears that from scholarship that the two terms overlap with definitions.

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Root words: παράπτωμα, ατος, τό '

Strong's Exhaustive Concordance

offense, sin, trespass. From parapipto; a side-slip (lapse or deviation), i.e. (unintentional) error or (wilful) transgression -- fall, fault, offence, sin, trespass.'

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Root words: ἁμάρτημα, ατος, τό

Strong's Exhaustive Concordance

offense, sin, sinful. From hamartano; a sin (properly abstract) -- offence, sin(-ful).
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Trespasses are theologically in my mind, to be equated with sin (s).

For clarification, a sinful nature or sin nature, would not equate to trespasses, but this corrupted human nature would lead to sinful desires and choices which could biblically and theologically include trespasses. Although the two terms heading this post are not identical in context, they can be equated. I am not willing to draw the definitive, definite, distinction between trespasses and sins that the pastor made in the recent online sermon. But, I can grant that we do not use the terms 'trespass nature', at least in any theology I have read.

FOULKES, FRANCIS (1989) Ephesians, Grand Rapids, Inter-Varsity Press.

The Orthodox Study Bible, New Testament and Psalms, (1993) Saint Athanasius Orthodox Academy,Thomas Nelson Publishers, Nashville, Tennessee.

God and the logically impossible

Last evening

2003 The Problem of Evil: Anglican and Baptist Perspectives: MPhil thesis, Bangor University 

For my MPhil surveys,

I received fifty each, completed of Anglicans and Baptists who have attended a post-secondary denominational college, University or seminary, or are members of one of those denominations who have studied religion at a post-secondary level.

Statement five: 

My fifth statement was another dealing with the logical nature of God. God cannot commit the logically impossible such as ceasing to exist. 

With Anglicans, 66% agreed with this point, while 22% were not certain, and 12% disagreed. With Baptists, 78% agreed with the statement’s concept, while 14% were not certain, and 8% disagreed.

My main consideration in creating this statement was to put across the idea that God is not a contradictory being. He is a being of consistency, in my view, and this means both that he could not manage to cease to exist or create another God equal to him. In the same way, he could not work against his own holy nature by sinning as he willed evil for the greater good. I think, instead, he wills it within his perfect character, realizing that in a fallen creation, evil and suffering will take place and that he can fulfill his good purposes by using evil within his holy plans.

August 23, 2019

2010 Theodicy and Practical Theology: PhD thesis, the University of Wales, Trinity Saint David, Lampeter 

Within a theistic, Christian tradition and worldview, God is considered infinitely and eternally holy and perfectly good; logically, as it would be contradiction, God cannot be at the same time, considered infinitely and eternally unholy and imperfectly evil.

If God actually was infinitely and eternally evil, this would actually be what is good, and there would in reality be no distinction between good and evil. But based on the scripture, reasonable theology and reasonable philosophy of religion, that is not the case.

Also, as I discussed in both my PhD (2010) and on this website, God cannot ontologically have finite nature or finite attributes (God does not ride a skateboard, but could make a skateboard move as if ridden). God the Son, as second member of the Trinity, does at the incarnation, as a human being, have finite nature and attributes, but God the Son, Jesus Christ's infinite, eternal divine nature does not mix with his acquired finite, everlasting nature.

CALVIN, JOHN (1543)(1996) The Bondage and Liberation of the Will, Translated by G.I. Davies, Grand Rapids, Baker Book House.

CALVIN, JOHN (1539)(1998) The Institutes of the Christian Religion, Book II, Translated by Henry Beveridge, Grand Rapids, The Christian Classic Ethereal Library, Wheaton College.

CALVIN, JOHN (1539)(1998) The Institutes of the Christian Religion, Book IV, Translated by Henry Beveridge, Grand Rapids, The Christian Classic Ethereal Library, Wheaton College.

FEINBERG, JOHN.S. (1994) The Many Faces of Evil, Grand Rapids, Zondervan Publishing House.

Thoughts & Emotions (Sermon)

Conwy Castle gardens, 2001

Jan 01, 1988

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Baxter on Your Thoughts 4 - by Michael Phillips Baxter on Your Thoughts - Part 4 of 4

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Baxter was an English pastor who lived from 1619 to 1691. Like everyone else, he had his weaknesses, but when it comes to pastoral counseling, he is number one.

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The study is divided into two parts. The first is how to get rid of bad thoughts; the second is how to keep good ones there-and to improve upon them. He begins by defining bad thoughts. They are thoughts against God (e.g., unbelief, discontent, and blasphemy); thoughts against yourself (especially pride); and thoughts against other people (e.g., malice, envy, and contempt). 
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Pastor Phillips relies significantly on the use of Richard Baxter. Baxter, certainly has (had) some good ideas in regard to biblical and theological, disciplines. I cannot rate him as number one or the best, however, as I am not certain that there is a definitive best.

Some key points from this sermon that I will review non-exhaustively:

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IF YOU WANT TO GET RID OF BAD THOUGHTS, CONTROL YOUR EMOTIONS.

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Rather than controlling your emotions, your mind is being controlled by them. And that's bad. Not that emotions are bad. Arms are good, but not for walking. Eyes are good, but not for smelling. Emotions are good, but not for thinking. 

How do you control your emotions? That's another subject, of course, but here's a good place to start: (1) Respect the power and danger of emotions, (2) pray for God's grace to control them, and (3) don't cop out by saying, "Well, that's just the way I am". (Maybe it is, but grace changes you from what you are to what you ought to be).

A biblical worldview trusts in biblical premises and conclusions, guided by the Holy Spirit, in grace through faith, as theology, doctrine and dogma, primarily (as primary), and emotions would be secondary.

Scriptural support, non-exhaustive examples:

2 Timothy 2:15 New American Standard Bible (NASB)

15 Be diligent to present yourself approved to God as a workman who does not need to be ashamed, accurately handling the word of truth.

1 Peter 3:14-16 New American Standard Bible (NASB)

14 But even if you should suffer for the sake of righteousness, you [a]are blessed. And do not fear their [b]intimidation, and do not be troubled, 15 but [c]sanctify Christ as Lord in your hearts, always being ready to make a [d]defense to everyone who asks you to give an account for the hope that is in you, yet with gentleness and [e]reverence; 16 [f]and keep a good conscience so that in the thing in which you are slandered, those who revile your good behavior in Christ will be put to shame. 

Footnotes: 1 Peter 3:14 Or would be 1 Peter 3:14 Lit fear 1 Peter 3:15 I.e. set apart 1 Peter 3:15 Or argument; or explanation 1 Peter 3:15 Or fear 1 Peter 3:16 Lit having a good

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IF YOU WANT TO GET RID OF BAD THOUGHTS, RESIST THEM AS SOON AS THEY OCCUR TO YOU.

Cited Proverbs 1:10 makes the point, "My son, if sinners entice you, consent not".

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In other words, don't think about it, don't weigh the plusses and minuses of sin, don't sleep on it, just say "No". If an evil thought entices you, stand up to it right then! "Resist the devil and he will flee". If you want to get rid of bad thoughts, resist them as soon as they occur to you.

Philippians 4:8 New American Standard Bible (NASB)

8 Finally, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is [a]lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, [b]dwell on these things.

Footnotes: Philippians 4:8 Or lovable and gracious Philippians 4:8 Lit ponder these things

One should  prayerfully avoid pondering on thoughts that might reasonably, or reasonably will, lead to sinful acts and actions.

Things that work for me, in this lifetime struggle to maintain godly thinking, are writing and researching these website articles, listening to sermons, as well as prayer to the triune God in Jesus Christ, and fellowship with other like-minded biblical Christians. That is fellowship with Christians both in church and within the universal Church.

I pray to be guided by God's perfect will and divine reasoning. Again, a lifetime struggle.

HEWLETT, H.C. (1986) 'Philippians' in The International Bible Commentary, Grand Rapids, Zondervan.

MARTIN, RALPH P. (1987) Philippians, Grand Rapids, IVP.

Brief on regrets (Sermon)

Nov 11, 2007

Once again I review the notes from a sermon from Grace Baptist Church and provide the link to the sermon, above.
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Spiritual Depression #4: Regrets

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What causes spiritual depression? A great many things do. Some are in the future, others in the present, but the most common causes-and the hardest ones to cure-are in the past.

This is because the present and the future are open to us. Today's problem may be gone tomorrow. And the future things I fear so much may not happen at all. The past, however, is fixed and unchangeable.

These are wise words. I have noted online that I consider myself finite and sinful. Theologically, this will mean that I have thoughts, acts and actions that have occurred or not occurred, in my life, that would be mistakes, and at times, even sins.

I can at times, not think of the right thing to do because of my sinful nature and tendencies...

A corrupted fallen nature (Genesis 3, Romans, Galatians) means my nature and universally, human nature, is not perfect and holy. The atoning and resurrection work of God the Son, Jesus Christ, applied to believers remedies this nature and the sinful choices that result, through sanctification is this present realm and eventual resurrection (1 Corinthians 15) to finite perfection, and the restoration of creation (Revelation 21-22).

Examples:

1 Corinthians 15:3-5 New American Standard Bible (NASB) 3 For I delivered to you [a]as of first importance what I also received, that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, 4 and that He was buried, and that He was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures, 5 and that He appeared to Cephas, then to the twelve. Footnotes: 1 Corinthians 15:3 Lit among the first

Romans 5:6-10 New American Standard Bible (NASB) 6 For while we were still helpless, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. 7 For one will hardly die for a righteous man; [a]though perhaps for the good man someone would dare even to die. 8 But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. 9 Much more then, having now been justified [b]by His blood, we shall be saved from the wrath of God through Him. 10 For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved [c]by His life. Footnotes: Romans 5:7 Lit for Romans 5:9 Or in Romans 5:10

Michael Phillips sermon continued...

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Or in I did what I did or I didn't do what I didn't do, and now what's done cannot be undone and what was left undone cannot be done. Dwelling on the failures of the past is a major cause of depression. 

Some of these failures are sinful, and they produce guilt. We talked about this last week, and I won't rehash it. But there's another kind of failure. It is caused-not by sins, but by mistakes-and it produces-not guilty feelings, but regrets. This is the topic of today's sermon: Regrets as a cause of spiritual depression-and how to get rid of them.

It is better to repent of sin, and in the gospel work of God the Son, Jesus Christ, embrace the atoning and resurrection work applied to the chosen believer (Ephesians 1)  by grace through faith (Ephesians 2).

I repent of mistakes too, as in anything that hinders an effective, good life for me.

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God has planned your life-including the mistakes. Many verses can be cited to this effect, but the one I like best is Ephesians 1:11. It says believers are- Predestined, according to the purpose of Him who works all things according to the counsel of His will. 'Predestined' simply means God has an eternal plan for His People, and that it cannot be hindered because it includes every last detail (showing God's wisdom) and is backed by His Almighty and Irresistible Power. Your mistakes are part of the plan. How they fit in, I do not know and will not guess. Submit to the Word of God and to its mystery.

Being regenerated in Christ (Titus 3, John 3) there is a future, even with present mistakes and sins. Everlasting life is what needs to be embraced. Rather than dwell on mistakes and worse, sins of the past, it is better to prayerfully ask God, for better and that I (we) can do better.

CRANFIELD, C.E.B. (1985)(1992) Romans: A Shorter Commentary, Grand Rapids, William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company.

MOUNCE, ROBERT H. (1995) The New American Commentary: Romans, Nashville, Broadman & Holman Publishers.